Truss lift



June 2 1925' 1,543,341 PITZ ET AL USS LIFT Filed N 1923 2 sheets-Sheet l 64%, W M amww A. G. PITZ ET AL June 23, 1925.

TRUSS LIFT Filed Nov e. 1923 2 $heetsSheet 2 I] n we I for 5 M 4 III) Patented June 23, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPI-I e. rrrz AND o r ro X. seen,

PARK CITY COBNICE WORKS, INCORPORATED,

CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS-TO OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A

TRUSS- LIFT.

Application filed November 6, 1923. Serial No. 673,108.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ADoLrH G. Prrz and OTTO X. SAUR, citizens of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairlield, State of Connecticut, have invented a newv and useful Truss Lift, of which the following is a specification.

, This invention relates to lifts for skylights or the like, and has for an object to provide an improved device for raising, lowering, and holding in any desired position a sky-light, trap door, or similar closure, (hereinafter, for convenience and brevity of description,referred to as a. skylight) which device may be easily operated, will securely hold the closure in the position to which it is adjusted, which will support. the closure laterally so that it cannot be warped under wind pressure or pressure on one side or corner t thus break the glass, and which when in operative position is practically burglar pr-oof.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this character which may be used to operate either a hinged closure or a bodily movable closure.

Vitli these and other objects in view, we have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, similar reference characters being employed throughout the various figures to designate corresponding elements. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a hinged sky-light showing our improved lifting device attached thereto, the section being taken substantially on line 11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through a bodily movable sky-light showing our improved lifting device as applied thereto.

Fig. 4.- is a transverse section of the same, substantially on line H of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of the guidingbrackets and a. section through a supporting post taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4c.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the manually operative element of the lift, and

Fig. 7 is a front elevation thereof.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, where we have shown the lifting device as applied to a hinged sky-light, we have shown a section of a roof 10 and an upright rectangular curb 11 surrounding an opening in this roof, and hinged at one end of this curb, as indicated at 12, is any suitable structure of sky-light 13 carrying the usual glass for passage of light. For the purpose of lifting the free end of this sky-light we secure to the curb at the opposite end from the hinges, a stationary bracket 14, having spaced arms 15 between which is pivoted a. rocker 16, and carried by this rocker is a rotatable flanged pulley 17 having threaded engagement with a threaded rod or screw 18 extending therethrough. This screw also extends through an opening in the rocker 16 and isguided thereby. The rocker is provided with laterally extending trunnions 19 seated in bearings in the arms 15, one of these bearings being preferably a trans verse opening in the arm and the other a recess open at the top thereof so that the rocker may be applied and. removed by swinging it laterally in a plane transverse to the plane of oscillation of the screw. Carried by the rocker about one side of the flanged pulley is a guard 20 having guides 21 for an endless chain 22, embracing the pulley and having driving engagement therewith for rotating this pulley. A detailed constructionof this device is not illustrated herein as. it is substantially the same as that disclosed in our prior patent #1,4l32,357, dated October 17, 1922.

If the lifting screw has a single connection to the sky-light at its upper end, as shown in said prior patent, it will be obvious that if this connection is at the center ofthe sky-light there will be no support for the corners,and any weight on one of these corners will tend to warp or twist the skylight and will tend to break the glass which is carried thereby. To overcome this difficulty we have provided an improved con.- nection from the sky-light to the lifting screw 18. For this purpose we preferably secure to the sky-light adjacent its free end a transverse beam 23, in the present instance an angle iron, and pivot the upper end of the screw to this angle iron at substantially its mid length by any suitable means, such as a bracket 24, permanently secured to the angle iron and having a pivotal connection with the screw. On opposite sides of this connection of the screw to the angle iron and preferablyat a considerable distance therefrom, that is, adjacent the opposite sides of the sky-light, are mounted pair of similar brackets 25, and pivoted in these brackets is a pair of inclined trusses 26 which are also connected at. their opposite ends to the lifting screw at a point below the connection of this screw to the sky-light. We secure the best results by connecting these trusses to the screw at. substantially its lower end and below the operating pulley, as shown at 2 These trusses may be separate elements but we have shown them in the drawings as being made of a single piece of pipe that tened at its mid length and then bent to a substantially V-shape, as shown in Fig. 2, the flattened intermediate portion being secured to the lower end of the lifting screw and the upper flattened ends being pivoted to the brackets 25.

It will thus be apparent, as the screw is reciprocated up and down by operation of the pol ey through the chain 22 that the trusses are carried along with it and form. a rigid sup-port for the corners or opposite sides of the free end of the sky-light, and any weight on either t these corners will be sustained by these trusses which are ri idly held in position by the screw and its connection with the stationary bracket 14. Thus there can be no warping or twisting of the sky-light. As the free end of the sky-light moves up and down the screw swings in a vertical plane extending longitudinally ot the sky-light because of the pivotal connection of the rocker 16 with bracket 1t, and the screw and the trusses n @y swing with respect to the sky-light because of their pivotal connections therewith.

Rel c" ring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, in which this improved lift is shown as applied to a bodily movable sky-light, an upright wooden curb 28 is shown as surround ing a rectangular opening in a. roof as in the first term, the bodily novable sky-light being shown at 29 movable upwardly from a position on the top of this curb. Ad jacent one end of this sky-light is mounted the transverse bar 23, preferably an angle iron, as in the first form, and a similar cross bar or angle iron 30 is provided adjacent the other end of the sky-light. Secured to these cross bars adjacent the ends thereof, that is, adjacent the corners of the sky-light, are upright posts or supports 31 and 3-.., there preferably being four of these posts. one for each corner. The upper end of these posts are preferably flattened and bent laterally so that they may easily be secured to the angle iron by any suitable means such as bolts or rivets 33. Any other suitable connecting means may be employee 1 desired. Secured t0 the side walls of the curb is a guide 34 for each post. The guide as illustrated is of very simple construction comprising a flat strip of metal bent to a substantially U-shape in cross section, as shown in Fig. 4, with the connecting body portion secured in an upright position against the inner surface of the side of the curb and with the spaced 35 tending inwardly from the surface of t curb substantially horizontally. are provided with aligned openings which the posts are adapted to slide vertically and in which they are. guided and held in an upright position. Between the legs 35 is mounted a substantially lJ-shaped housing 37, and mounted between this housing and the body of the guide is a flanged pulley 38. The posts 31 and 32 may be solid rods but we prefer to use piping it is of lighter weight for a given size and stronger for a. given amount of metal than the solid rod, and it is also easier to connect therewith a certain compensating element presently to be described.

The lifting device is the same as used in the installation illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and comp-rises the screw 18, stationary bracket 14- and trusses 26. The screw and" trusses are connected to one of the cross bars, in the present instance angle iron 23, the same as in the first form. In fact this lifting device is the same as that used in the first torin, although, of course, as the skylight is always horizontal it is not nec cssary that the connections from this device to the sky-light should be pivotal con nections. As the lift is operated and the screw raised or lowered it will raise or lowor the corresponding end of the sky-light, but means must be provided to lift the other end of the sky-light in unison with this end. For this purpose we provide a flexible connection, as a. chain 39, connected to the sky-light at the same end to which the lift is connected, a convenient means of connection being a hook 40 connected to the chain and hooked over the vertical rib of the angle iron 23. The chain then extends downwardly and passes under the pulley 38 carried by the guide for the cor responding post 81, over the pulley carried by the guide forthe corresponding post 82 on the other end of the skylight, then extends downwardly and is secured to this post below the guide. A simple and easily applied connection is another hook 41 similar to the hook 40 and hooked into the end of the pipe, as shown in Fig. 3. Two of these flexible connections are used, one on each side of the sky-light, as shown in For the purpose of adjustingthe length of this connection a turn buckle 42 is provided, preferably in the portion of the chain between the pulleys 38.

The operation is as follows:

When the lift is operated to move the screw 18 upwardly it will, of course, carry the end of the skydight upwardly. This will move the hook 40 and the end of the chain connected therewith a similar amount and as the hooks 4:0 and 4C1 are connected by means of the chain the hook 41 will move upwardly the same amount and carry with it the post 32, so that the other end of the sky-light will move in unison with the end of the sky-light to which the lift is connected. If the lift were connected to the sky-light only at the center thereof by a single. connection it is obvious that unless the skylight were perfectly balanced one side would sag and the posts would soon bind in the guides due to their unequal movements and the sky-light would become immovable. By the use of the inclined trusses 26, however, the end of the sky-light is maintained horizontal and the entire width thereof will move in unison so that there is no chance of the supports cramping or the sky-light becoming warped or twisted even should there be a heavy load on one corner.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the device is very simple in construction involving a small number of parts, and that it may be easily and quickly assembled.- It will also be apparent that the sky-light is always rigidly supported and that there will be no chance of its becoming warped or twisted under unequal loads regardless of whether it is a hinged or a bodily movable sky-light. As there is no chance of the supports binding the lift may be operated with very little effort.

Having thus set forth the nature of our invention, what we claim is:

1. The combination with a movable closure, of means connected therewith for lifting the same, a stationary bracket, means carried by the bracket adapted to coact with the lifting means for raising and lowering the same, and supporting means connccted to the closure on opposite sides of the connection of the lifting means therewith and at a distance from said connection, said supporting means being also connected to the lifting means at a distance below the point of connection of the lifting means with the closure.

2. The combination with a movable closure, of means connected therewith for lifting the same, a stationary bracket, means carried by the bracket adapted to coact with the lifting means for raising and l0wering the same, and one or more trusses secured to the lifting means below the bracket and also to the closure at a distance from the connection of said liftin means therewith.

57 The combination with a movable closure, of means connected therewith for lifting the same comprising a screw connected adjacent its upper end to said closure, a stationary bracket, a pulley carried by said bracket and having threaded engagement with said screw, one or more trusses secured to the screw below the bracket and to the closure at a distance from the connection of the screw therewith, and means for operating said pulley.

4. The combination with a movable clo sure, of means connected therewith for lifting the same comprising a screw connected at its upper end to said closure, a stationary bracket, a pulley carried by said bracket and having threaded engagement with said screw, a pair of inclined trusses secured. to

the 10 ver end of the screw and to the closure on opposite sides of the connection of the screw therewith and at points spaced from said connection and flexible means for operating said pulley.

The combination with a movable closure, of a rod connected therewith for lifting the closure, a stationary bracket, a rocker pivoted in the bracket, means carried by the rocker adapted to coact with the rod for lifting said rod, and one or more trusses connected to the rod at a dis ,tance below the connection of the rod with sure, of means connected therewith for lifting the same comprising a screw, a stationary braclcct a rocker pivoted in said bracket, a pulley carried by the rocker and having threaded engagcu'ient with said screw, one or more inclined trusses connected to the screw below the rocker and to the closure at a distance from the connection of the screw therewith and laterally. of the plane of oscillation of said screw, and means for operating said pulley.

7. The combination with a movable closure, of means connected therewith for lifting the same comprising a screw hinged at its upper end to said closure, a stationary bracket, a rocker hinged in said bracket, a Y

pulley carried by said rocker and having hreaded engagement with said screw, a pair of inclined trusses secured to the lower end of the screw and pivoted to the closure at opposite sides of and spaced from the con nection of the screw therewith and in a plane substantially normal to the plane of oscillation of the screw, and means for operating the pulley.

8. The combination with a movable do sure of a truss device for lifting and supporting the closure comprising a substantially triangular structure, means for securing one of the sides of thestructure to the surc, a lifting member connected to said i. e intermediate the ends thereof and to the o; n; :r of the structure, a stationj and means carried by the bracket cooperating with said member to raise and lower he men'iber.

9. The combination with a movable clo sure of a truss device for lifting and supporting the closure comprising a substantially triangular structure, means for securing; one side of the structure to the closure, hinged connections between the other sides or the structure and the first mentioned side, a lilting screw hinged to the first mentioned side intermediate the ends thereof and also connected to the opposite apex of the structure, a stationary bracket, a pulley carried by the bracket and having threaded engagement with the screw and means for rotating the pulley to raise and lower the screw.

10. The combination with a movable closure of means for lifting and supporting the closure comprising a transversely extending strengthening b am secured to the closure, an upright member secured to the beam intermediate the ends thereof, trusses secured to the beam on opposite sides oi and at a distance from the connection of the member thereto, said trusses being also secured to the member at distance from its connection to the beam, a stationary bracket, :1 guide on the braclzet tor the member, and means carried by the bracket for raising and lowering the member.

11. The combination with a movable closure of means for lifting and supporting the closure comprising a transversely extending strengthening beam secured to the closure, an upright screw secured to the beam intermediate the ends thereol a stationary bracket, a pulley carried by the bracket and having threadedengagement with the screw, inclined trusses secured to the beam on 0ppo site sides 01" and at adistance from the connection oi: the screw to the beam, said trusses being also connected to the screw below the pulley and means for rotating the pulley to raise and lower the screw.

12. The combination with a movable closure, of means connected therewith adjacent one end thereof for lifting the same comprising' a rod, a stationary bracket, means carried by the bracket cooperating with the rod for lifting said rod, a pair of spaced upright supports secured to the closure adjacent its other end, means for guiding said supports for vertical reciprocation, two pairs of pulleys at opposite sides of the closure, and a flexible connection running over said pair of pulleys, each connection being connected to the closure adjacent the end to which the lifting rod is connected, passing under the adjacent pulley, over the other pulley and secured to the corresponding support at a point below the latter pulley.

13. Tire combination of a movable closure, of means for litting the same comprising a connected to the closure at substantially the center of one end thereof, a sta tionary brack t, a pulley carried by said bracket and having threaded engagement w th said screw, means for operating said pulley, tour spaced upright supports for said closure connected to said closure at substantially the corners of a rectangle, means for guiding said supports for vertical reciprocation, a pair of inclined trusses secured to the lower end of the screw extending on opposite sides thereof and connected at their upper ends to the closure adjacent a pair of the upright supports, and means connecting each 01 these supports with one ot the other supports'and arranged to cause the latter supports to move in unison with the first supports.

14:. The combination with a movable closure, of means for lifting the same comprising a screw connected at its upper end to the closure at substantially the centr of one end thereof, a stationary bracket, a pulley carried by the bracket having threaded engagement with said screw, means for operating the pulley, a pair of inclined trusses secured to the lower end of the screw and to the closure adjacent the end to which the screw is connected at points spaced laterally from said connection, and means connecting the opposite ends of the closure so arranged as to cause the remote end to move in unison with the end to which said screw is connected.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

ADOLPH G. PITZ. OTTO X. SAUR. 

